Mass Migration and Real Estate in European Cities

The current movement of migrants into and across Europe has substantial impacts on both European cities and the real estate industry. The settlement of migrants in European cities, both on a temporary and permanent basis, will change cities, people’s perceptions of cities, and affect land and real estate values. There is a pressing need for multi-sectoral responses to address the future needs of our changing urban populations, and the resulting opportunities for the real estate sector.

In Spring 2016, ULI Europe began work on a research project to explore the implications of mass migration for cities in Europe. A key focus of the research was to understand how cities can best accommodate migrants and how the real estate industry can respond effectively. The research was funded by ULI Europe Charitable Trust and carried out by the Institute for Research into Superdiversity (IRiS) at the University of Birmingham. A steering group of ULI members from eight European National Councils: ULI UK, Germany, Austria, Turkey, the Netherlands, Sweden, Italy and Greece were instrumental in supporting the research.